Watching Women of the Bible reminds me that some of the most influential women in the bible were barren. I didn't realize this until I started looking in the bible and to God for answers. We're all guilty of looking through the world for answers when we're faced with a problem. To someone that hasn't dealt with infertility thinks it's simple. Just go to a fertility center, take the medicine, have the procedure, and bam you have a baby. It isn't that easy. It's never that easy, even for women that seem to blink and get pregnant. I believe that no matter how hard you struggle to have a child or how easy it happened for you it's a gift. It's always without a doubt a gift from God. What you can learn from women like Hannah, Sarah, Elizabeth, Esther, Miriam, Huldah, Joanna, Priscilla, Sheera, Manoah, Anna, Dorcas, Michal, and so many more is that their value was not placed on the ability to have a child. Hannah, Sarah, Manoah, and Elizabeth's infertility was healed. They show us that when the world shows you it isn't possible God shows you it is. I admire these women so much, they stayed faithful and with the odds against them God prevailed like always. I can't say that admire these other women more, but it's a much different admiration.
Esther was a very beautiful Jewish girl that was adopted by her cousin. She was brought to King Ahasuerus and groomed to become a queen, but she kept her Jewish identity a secret. Mordecai, her uncle who was also a Jew, was a servant to the king and he offended a high official. The King made an order to have Mordecai and all the Jews killed. Esther gave the king two banquets where she revealed her Jewish identity and begged him to save her people. He complied to her and hung Haman the official that had ordered all the Jews to be executed.
Miriam was Moses sister, she was the one that watched over him when he was hidden in the Nile river. She was a quick thinker, because of her he survived the exile and was adopted by Pharaoh's daughter. She was also considered the leader of the Hebrew women when they escaped Egypt.
Huldah she was an educated scholar, prophetess, and faithful follower of God. She was asked by a scribe, priest, and royal servants to interpret Scriptures that had been found. She spoke the truth and told that Jerusalem would be destroyed because of its sinful ways, but it would not happen in King Josiah's lifetime because he had been faithful to The Lord. As soon as he heard this he destroyed all the pagan temples that had been built by King Solomon. She was responsible for a massive revival of her people.
Joanna was a very wealthy woman that chose to follow and help support Jesus financially as he preached. She was thought to be at the cross when he was crucified and she was one of the three women that went to embalm Jesus and found him risen.
Priscilla was the wife of Aquila, she isn't labeled as barren but they had no children. Five times she is listed before he husband so it is thought she carried more responsibility of the church. Paul wrote to them and said "not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to you." They risked their lives to protect Paul and made enormous contributions to the first Christian church.
Sheera was responsible for the over sight of the building of several cities in 1450 B.C.
Anna was married for seven years then widowed. She had been a widow for 84 years and spent every day serving and praising The Lord. When Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus arrived at the Temple she ran to meet them and proclaimed that he was the long awaited Christ. It can't go unnoticed that through all her pain she was able to come above it and find a greater purpose.
Dorcas was a woman dedicated to the ministry, she lived in a port town that had a high rate of widows and orphans. She dedicated her life to sewing clothes for the needy and serving those who were forced into unfortunate circumstances. When she died the disciples sent for Peter who was nearby, he came and restored her so she could continue to serve her purpose.
Michal was the daughter of Saul who was given in marriage to David as a prize for his military victories. She was deeply in love with him and sacrificed herself to protect him when her father became so jealous he planned to kill him. David not only escaped and survived, but he came back to overthrow Saul.
